Nutrition for the footballer
Without the correct nutritional support the player will not be able to sustain an intensive training programme over
a long period of time, and improvement will therefore be limited.
An understanding of nutrition is also necessary to ensure optimum performance in competition, with manipulation of
the diet leading to substantial improvements in performance. The difference between the skills and fitness characteristics
of the winning and losing team can often be small and, where other things are equal, attention to diet can be the difference
between the team at the top of the league and the others.
It is consistently shown in surveys that the importance of attention to diet is recognized by coaches and athletes
from all sports, and a large majority believe that nutrition is an important part of the preparation for competition.
This recognition of the importance of nutrition is not, however, matched by knowledge of the principles on which good
nutritional support is based and how, practically, this is best achieved.
Nutrients and foods
It is important that the components of nutrition are known, mainly:
- Carbohydrates,
- Fats,
- Proteins,
- Vitamins,
- Minerals,
- Fibre,
- Water,
- Alcohol.
The food and drink that we consume contain a variety of these nutrients, and it is essential that the right balance
is achieved on a daily basis in order to optimize performance.
u Think about what you ate yesterday and try
to categorize each food according to the list above.
The foods that we consume play three major roles within our bodies:
1.
Provide energy – almost all our bodily functions rely on the energy contained within the foods
we eat and drink.
2.
Assisting in growth and repair – body tissues are constantly being broken down and regenerated.
This is achieved by utilizing the foods we eat and is especially important when players are injured.
3.
Maintaining general body functions – as well as providing energy to train and compete, the
daily needs of individuals must be met in order to maintain the function of our biological systems, for example, the heart,
lungs and stomach.
For the footballer, ensuring the diet contains sufficient energy to meet the daily requirements is most critical. When
considering whether a player’s diet is ‘healthy’ or ‘balanced’, many nutritionists believe that
if the correct amount of fuel is provided by the right proportion of nutrients, then enough of the other essential nutrients
will also be provided.
No one food contains all the nutrients we need, therefore, it is important that a wide variety of foods are consumed.
Below shows a number of foods from the major food groups and indicates what proportion should be consumed on a daily basis.
The major food groups and proportional daily requirements
Sources of nutrients and their major roles
|
Nutrients |
Major roles |
Sources |
|
Carbohydrates
Foods high in carbohydrates are commonly divided into two types:
·
Simple carbohydrates,
which tend to be found in highly refined foods.
·
Complex carbohydrates,
which tend to exist in their natural unrefined state |
Carbohydrates in either form are broken down to glucose in the body and stored as glycogen. The majority is stored
in muscles; some is stored in the liver, which is used to raise the level of blood glucose when required and supply the brain
and muscles. Great demands are placed on carbohydrates stores during heavy exercise. |
Simple (sugar):
confectionary, cakes, preserves, soft drinks.
Complex (starches):
rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals, fruit. |
|
Fats
Fats can be split into two types:
·
Saturated fatty
acids, which are mainly found in animal fats and are usually solid at room temperature.
·
Unsaturated fatty
acids, which mainly come from vegetables or fish sources and are liquid or soft at room temperature. |
Fats are stored mainly in adipose tissues and some are stored in muscle cells. They contribute to the general health
of individuals, their metabolism playing an important role in the production of energy. Some essential fatty acids must form
part of any acid. |
Butter, margarine, lard, oils, oily fish (mackerel, pilchards, salmon), pasties, cheese, whole milk, nuts, fresh food. |
|
Proteins
|
Proteins are composed of amino acids, and form an essential component of any diet. They are required for the growth
and repair of body tissues, the building blocks of hormones and enzymes. They are also important in the functioning of the
immune system. |
Milk, cheese, meat, yoghurt, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, pulses. |
|
Vitamins and minerals. |
Vitamins and minerals play an important role in energy metabolism; deficiency of one or more of these micronutrients
can impair exercise capacity. Deficiencies, however, are rare in sportspeople. Excessive amounts of some micronutrients may
be harmful. |
Fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish, meat, eggs, dairy products, cereals. |
|
Fibre (non-digestible vegetables, carbohydrate) |
Dietary fibre is a mixture of mainly indigestible substances which are found in plant cells. In the digestive system
dietary fibre assists the body to absorb and use nutrients. Deficiencies can result in constipation and gallstones. |
Seeds, peas, beans, vegetables, fruits, wholegrain cereals. |
|
Water |
Water performs numerous functions and is one of the body’s most important nutrients. It acts as the major transport
medium in the body and is crucial in the regulation of body temperature and preventing dehydration. |
Foods, drinks, formulated sports drinks. |
|
Alcohol |
Alcohol may make a major contribution to the total energy intake of a person’s diet. However, this energy source
cannot be utilized by muscles; it is slowly metabolized by the liver at a constant rate. Excessive amounts are stored as fats. |
Alcoholic drinks: beers, wines, etc. |
Energy, energy sources and requirements for football
The adequacy of a diet is often expressed by referring to the percentage of energy supplied by the three nutrients
(carbohydrate, fat, protein). Before we can assess this, the energy content of these nutrients must be understood.
A healthy diet is one in which the energy intake matches a person’s daily demands and over half is provided by
carbohydrate-containing foods, less than a third from fat and the remainder from protein.
The major food groups and proportional daily requirements
 
The recommended composition of a sportsperson’s diet is slightly different, with the energy requirements being
greater in the case of footballers. This is determined by three components:
1.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is the minimum rate of metabolism for an individual (approximately
2/3 of our daily energy expenditure.
2.
The energy expended on the digestion, absorption and storage of food (approximately 10% of our daily
energy expenditure).
3.
The energy cost of exercise, including daily activities and training/playing.
It is recommended that players should get as much as 60-70% of their daily energy requirements in the form of carbohydrate.
Tables A and B below (Diet 1 and Diet 2) represent hypothetical daily diets. It should be apparent that although Diet 1 would
meet the energy requirements of an active 75 kg male player, it would not fulfil his requirements in terms of the proportion
of nutrients required. On the other hand, Diet 2 is the reverse – the proportions of the diet are ideal but the energy
requirements of the player would not be met.
u
Use the tables
below as a template and track your daily food intake.
Nutrition for the footballer
Table A Hypothetical daily food intake (Diet 1)
|
Food |
Weight
(g) |
Energy
(kcal) |
Protein
(g) |
Fat
(g) |
Carbohydrate
(g) |
Fibre
(g) |
|
Breakfast
Sausage (fried)
Bacon (fried)
Eggs (fried)
Bread (fried)
Lard
Coffee
Milk
Sugar |
60
60
45
30
30
5
30
30 |
222.1
268.5
66.1
73.3
270.0
4.8
19.5
128.0 |
6.4
14.7
5.5
2.3
0
0.7
1.0
0 |
19.3
23.3
4.9
0.5
30.0
0
1.1
0 |
5.7
0
0
14.9
0
0.5
1.4
32.0 |
0
0
0
0.8
0
0
0
0 |
|
Lunch
Mars bar
Cheese
Butter
White roll
Crisps
Cola drink |
45
20
100
80
30
285 |
205.7
405.5
150.8
196.6
164.0
119.6 |
2.4
26.0
0.8
6.2
1.9
0 |
8.5
33.5
16.4
1.4
10.8
0 |
29.9
0
0
39.8
14.8
29.9 |
0
0
0
2.2
3.6
0 |
|
Dinner
Cod in batter
Chips
Two pints beer |
200
250
1,140 |
402.2
655.6
269 |
39.2
9.5
2.4 |
20.6
27.2 | |
